The Day I Understood Why IT Companies Really Need Good Processes

Let me tell you a story. It’s not about one company — it’s about many. I’ve worked with several IT companies, and I noticed the same mistake again and again.

At first, I didn’t understand why things were going wrong. But one day, it all became clear.

A Project That Went Sideways

Here’s how it usually starts:

• The company gets a new project.
• The client gives 2 pages of requirements — nothing detailed.
• The company assigns a team of 5 (2 Backend Developers, 1 Frontend Developer, 1 QA, 1 Project Manager)
• They use Jira to manage the work.
• They create 100+ tasks, each with just one line of description.
• They give the team 8–12 months to complete it.

Sounds okay? Let’s see what happened next.

15 Months Later…

• 80% of tasks are still open.
• Developers are confused about what they’re building.
• QA fails most tests because there are no proper test cases.
• Work keeps going back and forth.
• No one knows what’s actually “done”.

The Real Cost

Let’s do the math:

• ₹60,000 salary × 5 people = ₹300,000/month
• ₹360000 × 12 months = ₹3600000/year

Almost ₹4 million has been spent, and nothing useful has been delivered to the client.

Why Did This Happen?

Here’s what I learned:

1. They Rushed the Start

• No time was spent understanding the real problem
• Everyone wanted to “start fast”
• But no one asked, “Are we ready?”

2. No One Asked Questions

• Developers guessed instead of confirming
• QA didn’t know what to check
• No one saw the big picture

3. Tasks Were Poorly Written

• Jira tickets were vague
• No acceptance criteria
• No clear definition of “done”

4. Testing Was an Afterthought

• Testing came too late
• 90% of the features failed
• QA kept bouncing issues back to developers

5. Communication Was Missing

• Teams didn’t talk enough
• No regular meetings
• Clients were not updated properly

"Let’s Use AI!" – Another Mistake

Many companies think AI will solve their problems. But here’s the truth:

• AI is not magic
• AI needs good data
• AI needs clear goals
• AI won’t fix bad processes

Without solid foundations, AI just makes things worse.

So, What’s the Solution?

We need better processes. Here’s what works:

1. Clear Requirements

• Talk to clients properly
• Write down detailed requirements
• Confirm before starting development

2. Better Project Management

• Use good tools like Jira or Trello
• Write clear task descriptions
• Define “done”
• Track progress regularly

3. Proper Development Flow

• Plan before you code
• Use Git/version control
• Review the code properly
• Avoid guessing

4. Early and Automated Testing

• Write test cases before development
• Use automation tools
• Don’t wait till the end

5. Keep Documentation Updated

• Update technical docs
• Maintain testing and user guides
• Write everything down — don’t rely on memory

6. Plan for the Future

• Understand the technical challenges
• Plan for future updates
• Set realistic timelines

7. Talk More

• Encourage questions
• Have regular check-ins
• Keep everyone in sync

What I Learned

• A good process saves time and money
• It helps teams work better and stay happy
• It helps clients get what they want
• Even the best people need a good system to work well

You can’t fix bad processes with hard work or AI. You need to think, plan, and communicate.

Final Thought

If you're in an IT company — big or small — take a pause and ask:

Do we have a process, or are we just managing chaos?

It’s never too late to start fixing it. Once you do, everything becomes easier for you, your team, and your client.